Machine for making radio tube and lamp parts



- 1,635,316 1927' c. EISLER MACHINEFOR MAKING RADIO TUBE AND LAMP PARTS Filed June 1925 .3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR 1 ATTORN? July 12, 1927. c. Elsi-ER v MACHINE FOR MAKING RADIO TUBE AND LAMP PARTS Filed June 26, 1925 s Sheets-Sheet 2 f'III/IA VIII i I I v r au1iuumiin\'\\\\\\\\\\ /////////////I// 'allllll/II/IIIII/fl will! IIIII INYENTO (i/M14, il BY a A TTORNE 1,635,316 J y 2' 1927" c. EISLER MACHINE FOR MAKING RADIO TUBE AND LAMP PARTS Filed June 26. 925

3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented July 12, 1927..

UNITE-D STATES PATENT- OFFICE.

CHARLES EISLER, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

Application filed June 26, 1925. Serial No. 39,709.

This invention relates to machines for making radio tubes and lamp bulbs and particularly to machines for automatically forming and shaping glass tubes and similar articles for use as tube and lamp parts.

One object of the invention is a novel machine including correlated and cooperating mechanisms whereby stem tubes, arbors and similar parts for radio tubes and lamp bulbs may be manufactured automatically and with a minimum of attention on a quantity production basis. A further object of the invention is a novel machine of this character which is of peculiarly simple construction and operation and which may be economically manufactured and assembled. A further object is a machine of this character which is reliable in operation and is durable and capable of withstanding severe service and operation conditions.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, wherein Fig. 1 is an elevational View of'the ma- Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof,

3 a part sectional and part elcvational view of certain correlated parts thereof,

Fig. 4 is a view of a glass tube from which a flare is made.

Fig. 5 is a view of the flare made by the machine,

Fig. 6 is an enlarged front View of a part of the rotating drum,

Fig. 7 is a skeleton figure showing the in termittent drive for the drum wheel,

Fig. 8 is a view of a modified glass article to be formed,

Fig. 9 is a view of a former for forming the tube of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a front view of a portion of adrum of modified construction for making flares and buttons on tubes of small diameter.

Fig. 11 is a sectional view thereof,

Fig. 12 is a view' of a glassrod before it goes into the machine.

. Fig. 13 is a view of a glass cane with buttons formed thereon. and

Fig. 14 is a view of a glass tube with the flare and. bulb formed therein.

Referring to the drawings Where similar numerals designate similar parts throughout,

I have illustrated my novel machine as includmg a main frame 1 which is mounted on a base or table 2, the latter being carried by the standards 2'. The frame 1 carries a horizontal shaft 7 which is mounted in suitable bearings thereon, and rotatablymounted on this shaft 7 is an intermittently rotating drum part or carrier 3, the mechanism for driving the latter intermittently being described below. A cooperating drum part 4 is keyed to the shaft 7 and rotates within the carrier 3. The drum carrier 3 is provided on its periphery and on one side with a multiplicity of radial slots 36. These slots form chambers for and are just large enough to accommodate the tube blanks 37 (illustrated in Fig. 4) with one end thereof projecting beyond the peripheral edges of both the intermittently rotating drum carrier 3 and the rotating drum t. These blanks 37 rest upon the drum 4 and are rotated thereby about their own axes within the slots 36. The carrier 3 rotates in the direction of the arrow indicated in Fig. 1 and closely disposed to the periphery and one side thereof is a-hopper 66 for supplying the blanks 37 to the periphery. The arrangement is such that when the drum carrier comes to rest with one of its slots 36 adjacent the mouth of the hopper 66, one of these blanks 37 falls by gravity, or by gravity and thepressure' of the blanks above it, into the slot or chamber 36. The upper half of the drum carrier 3 is thereby supplied with the blanks 37 at all times. These blanks are continuously rotated about their own axes by the drum 4: assisted by a band belt 15 which operates in an annular groove 38 formed on the periphery of the carrier deep enough to permit the band 15 to engage the blanks. This band 15 operates, of course, in a direction to assist the drum 4 in rotating the blanks within the slots 36, and is held in engagement with an arc of' the blanks by means of the pulleys 16 and 16 disposed on opposite sides of the drum. The belt is kept in the proper tension to firmly engage the blanks and continuously rotate them by means of a tension pulley 15" engaging the under side of the upper loop of the belt 15 and including a tension spring 39. At the bottom of each recess 36 and about the periphery of the drum 4 there are provided circumferential grooves 51 and 52,

it having been found that these grooves assist in retaining the blanks 37 in the slots or chambers 36. during their rotation by the band belt 15 and the drum 4. The pulleys 16 and 16 are continuously driven by means of an endless chain 17 passing over the sprockets 18, 18' on the pulley shafts and the sprocket 19 keyed tov the main drive shaft 7. An idler sprocket is indicated for guiding the sprocket chain 17.

As the glass tube blanks 37 are intermittently moved from one position to another by the drum carrier 3 and rotated about their own axes by the continuously running band belt 15 and the drum 4, the overhanging ends of these blanks 37 are gradually heated by a series of gas burners 20. so as to heat the overhanging ends up to a plastic temperature. There are. a-number of these burners 2O distributed along the peripheral edges of the rotating drum parts 3, 4 so as to direct the flames upwardly against the overhanging ends of the rotating tube blanks, and in several positions just prior to the position A (Fig. 1) the burners 20 are assisted by other burners 20 which are horizontally disposed with their nozzles directed at an angle to the tube blanks 37, but in a manner to direct their flames into the interior of the overhanging tube ends. By means of these burners 20, 20', the tube ends are suflicicntly plastic when position A is reached to permit the forming tool or reamer 21 to' perform its function of shaping the tube or other article. In the particular embodiment here illustrated where a flare is to be formed into the tube blank 37, this tool is in the form of the reamer 21 which is horizontally disposed and is reciprocable towards and away from the periphery of the drum carrier to engage the overhanging plastic end of the tube blanks 37 as they come to rest one by one at position A. The reamer 21 and its operating mechanism are mounted upon a stationary part of themachine, including a suitable standard 41. The standard 41 carries on its upper end the two spaced bearing frame members 41 and within these alined frame members 41 there are mounted the roller or ball bearings 33, 33' for the reamer shaft 31 and the driving pulley 27. The reamer shaft 31 is mounted within a carrying sleeve 31, and is capable of longitudinal adjustments therein. On its outer end itis screW-threaded and provided with the locking nuts 43 for relative longitudinal adjustments, the screw-threaded end passing through a centering nut 67 fixed within the end of sleeve 31. A spring 68 surrounds the reduced endof the shaft 31, having one end in engagement with. the nut 67 and the other end in engagement with the shoulder 69 of the shaft whereby the shaft 31 is yieldingly ,i1rged toward the right with .the nuts 43 against the end of the sleeve 31'. The sleeve portion 31 of the reamer shaft is keyed to the pulley for reciprocating movements therein by means of the two keys 32 and 32, these keys upper end 23 is in the form of a fork straddling the reamer shaft sleeve 31 and engaging a relatively rotatable collar 71 thereon to impart longitudinal movement to the sleeve. The lower end of the lever 23 carries a roller 35 which is engaged at each stationary position of the carrier 3 by the cam 22 which is fixed to shaft 7 to reciprocate the reamer 21 forward to the dotted position shown in Fig. 3 and form the flare on the end of the tube blank. Just before the intermittent movement of the carrier 3 takes place, the cam 22 rides off of the roller 35, as indicated in full lines in Fig. 3, to permit the backward or retractive movement of the reamer through the medium of the retracting spring 34. After the position A is passed the flares 37 repose in the recesses 36 in the periphery of the drum carrier 3 until they pass down beyond the pulley 16 and the band belt loop carried thereby, and they finally fall by gravity into a chute 44 leading to any suitable receptacle (not shown for convenience in illustration).

The shaft-7 is continuously rotated in the particular embodiment herein shown from a shaft 11 carrying a drive sprocket 10 and a worm gear 12. The drive connection betWQGIb the shaft 11 and the shaft 7 includes a worm gear 12, the worm gear 13 driven thereby and the endless chain 14 passing over a sprocket 14"on the shaft 7 and a similar but smaller sprocket carried bythe counter shaft of the gear 13. Any motor drive for the shaft 11 may be employed, as for example an electric motor (not shown for convenience in illustration).

The drive for continuously rotating thereamer 21 together with its pulley 27, includes a groove pulley 24 on shaft 11, the intermediate guide pulleys 25 and 26 and the continuous belt 28 passing over these groove pulleys.

The intermittent drive for the drum carrier 3 in the particular embodiment herein illustrated is elfectedby the pawl and 1 ratchet mechanism including a ratchet or ring 6 with'notches' therein carried by the carrier 3, and a pawl having one end therepf adapted to engage the notches or ratchet teeth of the ring 6. The pawl 45 is or chamber 36 to come to rest at the mouth of the hopper 66 betweenintermittent movements. A spring 46 having one end fixed to a stationary part of the frame and the other end fixed to the outer end of the bell crank lever 5 holds the bell crankroller in engagement with the cam disc 8 at'all times and serves to retract the pawl from the notchesof the rin or ratchet 6 to permit lheretraction of tie pawl so as to engagethe next succeeding notch. In order to avoid any backward rotation of the drum carrier 3, while the actuating pawl 45 is being retracted and in order to hold the drum in a fixed stationary position, a bell crank lever 9 of V shape which is pivoted at 47 is provided at one end with teeth 48 for engaging the notches of the ring 6 in the stationary position and holding the drum stationary. A spring 49 having one end fixed to the stationary part of the frame work and its opposite end engaging one end of the bell crank'lever 9 tends to urge the bell crank lever in a direction to cause the teeth 48 to engage the notches of the ring,- and the end of the bell crank lever which is connected'with the spring 49 is provided with a roller 50 which engages the contin uously rotating cam disc 8 to retract the teeth 48 from interlocking engagement with the "ratchet against the tension of the spring.

49 during the advancing movement of the pawl 45. r

The operation of the machine as described above will be clear. The hopper 66 is maintained with a sufiicient supply of blanks, such for example as the tube elements 37, and as the drum carrier 3 comes to rest with one of peripheral recesses 36 adjacent the mouth of thehopper 66, these tubes are conveyed one by one to these peripheral recesses. At a poin't along side oft-he pulley 16' these blanksare engaged by the band belt 15 to assist the drum 4 in continuously rotating them in the peripheral recesses for uniform heating of the overhanging ends by At the position A,

type of former, is advanced into position yieldingly against the tension of spring 68 to form. and shape the overhanging ends of the tubes 37 into flares, this being done one by one as the successive drum recesses come.

to rest in line with the reamer. The finished flares or other shaped parts-are eventually deposited by gravity into the chute 44 from whence they are directed to any desired receptacles. v

In Fig. 8 I have shown a modified radio tube or lamp part 53 which in this instance has a closed end 54. Parts'of this character may be formed on a machine of the character herein illustrated andin Fig. 9 I have shown a forming tool of a construction to form the open end of a tube blank 37 so as to close one end thereof in the manner of the closed end 54 of Fig.- 8. The only change in machine necessary for forming parts of this character is the tool 55 of Fig. 9, in place'of the reamer 21.

In Figs. 10 and 11 I have illustrated a modified two-part drum'or wheel 29, 30 which may be'employed in my machine in the place of the drum carrier 3 to .make arbors of the character set forth in Fig. 13,

or stems as shown in Fig. 14. The two parts 29 and 30 are provided with ahned peripheral recesses 56 for the reception of the cane or tube blanks 57. Each of the parts 29 and 30 is provided with a circumferential groove 29' and 30' on its periphery for the reception of band belts 58 and 59 which correspond to the band belt 15 described above, for continuously rotating the blanks While being heated. Two bands are desired in this modification on account of the length of the blank being worked upon. The groove 29 is provided with a shallow groove 60 at its bottom and the groove 30' is provided with similar peripheral grooves 61, these grooves serving to retain the rotating blanks in the proper position during the rotation thereof by bands 58 and 59. They prevent the tendency of the blanks to move longitudinally when rotated within the recesses. In this modification both parts 29, 3O rotate inter tion 65, additional burners 63 should be positioned between the two drum parts 29 and 30 so as to soften the tube blank at the point desired. The' rea'mer21' functions to form the flare 64 and simultaneously therewith a bulbous portion 65 is formed at' an intermediate point of the tube. In the case of the cane illustratedin Fig. 13 a suitable tool in the place of the reamer 21 may be proyided in forming the end 'of the cane or tube,

and similarly pressure. may be applied to' bear longitudinally of the blank to form the head 65' which is softened the burners' 63. Other parts of the machine forformmg .theseparts illustrated in Figs. 13 and 14 3 Ill termittently and advancing said reciprocat- I claim and desire to may be identical with the mechanisms and structures describedin, connection with the modifications of Figs. 1-9.

Having thus described my invention, what protect by Letters Patent is:

.1. In a machinefor making radio tube and lamp glass parts, an intermittently rotating carrier having a plurality of recesses for the reception of glass blanks, means for rotating said blanks about their own axes within said recesses, means for heating said rotating blanks, a blank forming tool mechanism includin a rotating tool and means for advancing tie same to engage the heated rotating blanks at the stationary periods of said rotating carrier, means for positively rotating said tool, and means forintermib' tently driving saldvcarrier and advancmg 7 said reciprocating mechanism in time rela- I tion therewith.

2. In a machine for making glass parts for radio tubes and lamps, a circular intermittently rotated carrier having radial recesses on its periphery for thevreception of the glass blanks, a continuously moving drum disposed within said carrier and engaging the inner sides of said blanks reposing in said recesses, for rotating 'the same about their own axes, burners for directing heating flames against said blanks, a forming mechanism including a tool which is reciprocable back and forth to engage said blanks one by one as they are moved to positions in alinement with the forming tool, means for. intermittently rotating said circular carrier, and means operating in time relation there with for advancing said forming tool to en gage the blanks one by one as they come to rest atthe forming position.

3. In a machine for making glass parts for radio tubesand lamps, an intermittently rotatin circular carrier having a plurality of. e ua y spaced recesses on its periphery w ich are adapted to receive the glass blanks to be formed, means for rotating said blanks about their own axes within said recesses, including a rotatin drum engaging one side of the blanks and a continuously moving belt on the other side moving in a direction to assist in the rotation of the blanks, means for heating said blanks as they are intermittently advanced and rotated, a forming mechanism including a reciprocable former which is adapted to be advanced into-engagement with the heated rotated blanks as they are intermittently moved forward, means for feeding the blanks to said recesses, and means for driving said circular carrier in;

i ing former in'time relation therewith.

4. In a machine for making glass parts for radio tubes and lamps, a circular drum-like carrier for advancing glass blanks step by step, said circular carrier having a plurality of equally spaced recesses for the reception of glass blanks, a hopper disposed on one side of said carrier to feed blanks to the upwardly moving recesses in the circular carrier, a forming and shaping mechanismdisposed at a point substantially to the rear of the feeding hopper, said forming and shaping mechanism including a reciprocable and rotatable tool which is mounted in alinement with the ring of recesses and adapted to be advanced and retracted 'at the stationary periods of said carrier, burners disposed in a position to direct heating flames against the blanks reposing in said recesses, and means for intermittently driving said circular carrier step by step and in time relation therewith reciprocating the forming and shaping tool.

5; In a machine for making glass parts for radio tubes and lamps, a continuously rotating v drum-like member upon which the indiyidual glass blanks are adapted to rest, an intermittently moving carrier closely surrounding said drum-like member and adapted to separate the blanks one from the other resting upon said drum-like member and .to carry them 'step by step about an arc defined by the periphery of said drum-like member, means for heating and shaping said blanks while they are being thus conveyed and means for intermittently driving said carrier step by step.

3. In a machine for making glass parts for radio tubes and lamps, a circular drum-like carrier having on its periphery a plurality of spaced recesses for the reception of individual glass blanks, a-rotating belt having one loop thereof disposed about an arcot said circular carrier and adapted to engage the blanks contained Within the adjacent recesses, the bottoms of the recesses for the reception of the blanks being provided with retaining grooves, means for heating and shaping said blanks while they are being conveyed and rotated, and means for intermittently driving said circular carrier step by step.

7. In a machine for making glass parts for radio tubes and lamps, the combination of anintermittently rotating blank carrier with av reciprocating forming and shaping mechanism including a rotatable and reciprocable forming tool which is reciprocated in time relation with the intermittent movements of the carrier and means for rotating the tool.

8. In a machine for making glass parts for radio tubes'and lamps, a circular drumlike carrier" having on its periphery a plu- Lil loo

ralityof spaced recesses for the reception of individual glass blanks, a rotating belt having one loop thereof disposed about an arc of said circular carrier and adapted to engage the blanks contained within the adj acent recesses, means for heating said bla'nks .while they are'being conveyed and rotated,

rotated forming tool for engaging said heated blanks, and means for intermittently driving said circular carrier step by step, in-

cluding a pawl and ratchet mechanism for advancing the carrier and locking mechanism for engaging the ratchet during the stationary per od.

9. In a machine for making glass parts for radio tubes and lamps a circular carrier adapted to be intermittently rotated step by step and having a plurality of equally spaced radial slots or chambers on its periphery for the reception of glass blanks, a continuously rotating drum disposed within said circular carrier and adjacent the bottom of said slots 0r chambers whereby blanks disposed in said chambers rest upon the rotating drum, heating and shaping mechanisms disposed along the peripheries of said elements to heat and shape the overhanging ends of blanks being conveyed, and means for intermittently driving the circular carrier step by step and in time relation therewithv operating the shaping mechanism. 7 v

10. A machine of the character set forth in claim 1 wherein the rotating forming tool is yieldingly pressed against the blanks.

11. A machine of the character set forth in claim 5 wherein a continuously moving belt is provided for engaging the-blanks on their outer sides toassistthe drum in imparting to the blanks a rotating movement.

12. A machine of the character setforth in claim 5 wherein the intermittent carrier is provided with a circular groove about its periphery and a continuously running belt is disposed therein to engage the blanks.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

CHARLES EISLER. 

